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"WVPP Annual Review Checklist"

"25+ items for your annual WVPP review: responsible person, hazard assessment, incident log, training records, employee input, plan distribution."

Apr 13, 2026all
"WVPP Annual Review Checklist"

Your Workplace Violence Prevention Plan isn't a one-and-done document. SB 553 requires you to review and update it at least annually — and after every workplace violence incident. The law is explicit on this point.

But here's the thing nobody tells you: most annual reviews are theater. Someone pulls out the binder, flips through it, changes the date on the cover page, and declares the review complete. That's not a review. That's a lie you're telling Cal/OSHA in advance.

A real annual review asks one question about every element of your plan: **Does this still reflect reality?** Your workplace changed this year. Your staffing changed. Your operations changed. Your physical environment changed. If your WVPP doesn't reflect those changes, it's fiction.

Use this checklist. Every item. Every year. Document what you reviewed, what you changed, and why.

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Section 1: Plan Administration

  • [ ] **Responsible person(s) verified.** Are the designated people still in these roles? Have titles or contact information changed? If someone left the organization, has a replacement been named?
  • [ ] **Responsible person authority confirmed.** Does the designated person still have the authority to implement the plan? Have organizational changes affected their ability to make decisions?
  • [ ] **Plan version control.** Is the current version dated? Are prior versions archived? Can you produce the version history if asked?
  • [ ] **Plan accessibility.** Can every employee access the plan right now? Is it posted/available in all required locations? Is it available in all languages spoken by your workforce?

Section 2: Hazard Assessment

  • [ ] **Annual hazard assessment conducted.** Did you perform a new hazard assessment within the past 12 months? Is it documented with date, assessor name, and findings?
  • [ ] **Employee input obtained.** Did you actively solicit employee input during the assessment? Document the method (survey, meetings, interviews, suggestion box) and participation level.
  • [ ] **Physical environment changes reviewed.** Have you added, removed, or modified any work locations? Have building access controls, lighting, or layout changed?
  • [ ] **Operational changes reviewed.** Have work hours, staffing levels, job duties, or client/customer populations changed?
  • [ ] **New hazards identified.** Are there any new risk factors that weren't present during the last assessment? Have incident trends revealed previously unrecognized hazards?
  • [ ] **Prior hazard corrections verified.** Were corrective actions from the previous assessment implemented? Are they still in place and functioning?
  • [ ] **Surrounding area reviewed.** Has the neighborhood, building, or shared-space risk profile changed? New tenants? Construction? Crime trends?

Section 3: Incident Log

  • [ ] **Incident log maintained.** Is the violent incident log current? Have all incidents from the past 12 months been recorded?
  • [ ] **Log completeness verified.** Does each entry include all required fields: date/time/location, type of violence, description, classification of perpetrator, circumstances, consequences, actions taken?
  • [ ] **Privacy protections in place.** Are victim identities protected in the log? When the log is shared with employees or their representatives, is personal identifying information redacted?
  • [ ] **Incident trends analyzed.** Have you reviewed the log for patterns? Repeat locations? Repeat circumstances? Repeat types of violence? Time-of-day patterns?
  • [ ] **Incident-triggered reviews completed.** If any incidents occurred this year, was the WVPP reviewed and updated in response to each one?

Section 4: Reporting Procedures

  • [ ] **Reporting channels still functional.** Test each reporting method. Can employees actually reach the designated person? Does the anonymous reporting mechanism work?
  • [ ] **Reporting channels communicated.** Do employees know how to report? Has the information been re-communicated within the past 12 months?
  • [ ] **Non-retaliation policy current.** Is the non-retaliation statement still in the plan? Have there been any allegations of retaliation? If so, how were they resolved?
  • [ ] **Report response process reviewed.** Are reports being investigated in a timely manner? Is there a backlog? Are outcomes documented?

Section 5: Emergency Response Procedures

  • [ ] **Emergency contacts current.** Are all emergency phone numbers (law enforcement, EMS, management chain) current and accurate?
  • [ ] **Evacuation routes current.** Do evacuation routes and assembly points still make sense given any facility changes?
  • [ ] **Communication systems functional.** PA system, code words, alarm systems — have they been tested within the past 12 months?
  • [ ] **Shelter-in-place procedures reviewed.** Are designated shelter locations still appropriate? Are door locks, barricade capabilities, and communication methods still functional?
  • [ ] **Post-incident procedures reviewed.** Are procedures for scene security, employee accounting, medical response, and support services still current?

Section 6: Training

  • [ ] **All employees trained within the past 12 months.** Pull your training records. Has every current employee received WVPP training within the past year?
  • [ ] **New hire training current.** Are new hires receiving WVPP training during onboarding? Check the last 5 new hire files to verify documentation.
  • [ ] **Training content updated.** Does the training material reflect the current version of the WVPP? Does it include any new hazards, new procedures, or lessons learned from incidents?
  • [ ] **Training documentation complete.** Does each training record include: date, topics covered, trainer name and qualifications, attendee names/signatures, duration, language of instruction, materials used?
  • [ ] **Supervisor/manager training current.** Have supervisors received additional training on recognizing warning signs, receiving reports, and managing situations?
  • [ ] **Post-incident training completed.** If incidents occurred, was additional training provided to affected employees and supervisors?

Section 7: Coordination with Other Employers

  • [ ] **Multi-employer coordination reviewed.** If you share a worksite, have you coordinated with other employers on violence prevention? Have their operations or personnel changed?
  • [ ] **Shared procedures still aligned.** Are shared emergency procedures, communication protocols, and security measures still coordinated and current?
  • [ ] **New co-tenants or contractors addressed.** Have any new employers been added to your shared worksite? Have they been brought into the coordination process?

Section 8: Employee Involvement

  • [ ] **Employee participation documented.** How were employees involved in this year's review? Document the methods and level of participation.
  • [ ] **Employee feedback incorporated.** Were any employee suggestions or concerns raised during the year? Were they addressed? Document the disposition of each.
  • [ ] **Safety committee involvement.** If you have a safety committee, was the WVPP review on their agenda? Document their input and recommendations.

Section 9: Record Retention

  • [ ] **Five-year retention verified.** Are you retaining all required records for at least five years? This includes: the WVPP document (all versions), hazard assessments, training records, incident logs, investigation reports.
  • [ ] **Records organized and retrievable.** Can you produce any requested document within a reasonable time? Test this by pulling a random training record from 2+ years ago.
  • [ ] **Electronic backup current.** If you keep electronic records, is the backup current and accessible?

Section 10: Plan Distribution

  • [ ] **Updated plan distributed.** After completing your review and making changes, distribute the updated plan to all employees.
  • [ ] **Distribution method documented.** Record how the updated plan was distributed (email, posted, handed out, intranet) and the date.
  • [ ] **Availability in required languages confirmed.** Is the updated plan available in all languages spoken by your workforce?

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After the Review: Documentation

Complete this summary and attach it to your WVPP:

**Annual Review Summary**

  • **Date of review:** _______________
  • **Conducted by:** _______________
  • **Review method:** (checklist, committee meeting, combination)
  • **Employee input method:** _______________
  • **Changes made:** (list each change with rationale)
  • **Items requiring follow-up:** (list with responsible person and target date)
  • **Next review date:** _______________

**Signature of responsible person:** _______________
**Date:** _______________

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The Bottom Line

This checklist takes 2-4 hours to complete thoroughly. That's 2-4 hours, once a year, to verify that the program designed to protect your employees from workplace violence is actually functioning.

If you can't spare 2-4 hours a year for that, you have a priorities problem. And Cal/OSHA will be happy to help you reprioritize — at $18,000 per citation.

Do the review. Document the review. Fix what needs fixing. Move on.

Then put it on the calendar for next year and do it again.